Tale of the Sapphire Star
by Hoshi Hikara
Summary: This is the story of a small child with no real family, and KoEnma for an adoptive father. And why she now lives with everyone's favorite redhead, Kurama!
1. I don't wanna leave!

Hoshi: My first story!

Flame: Yup.

Hoshi: All about our favorite mini-kit...

Flame: Yup.

Hoshi: So one of us has to do the disclaimer...

Flame: Yup.

Hoshi: Is that all you can say?

Flame: Nope. Hoshi does not own anything but herself...And a Dum-dum sucker...Doesn't that fit her well?

Hoshi: Gee...Thanks... _This_= thinking, _This _also= Youko talking back to Shuiichi.

* * *

_So here I'm...Sitting outside my "dad's" office...Listening to him "speak" with an "employee". Dad meaning the chibi ruler of spirit word KoEnma, speak meaning argue, employee meaning one of the detectives...And what's worse is that I can hear my name being said, great. I still wish I knew what they were talking about, I know that KoEnma can't take care of me as well as he wishes...He's too busy, I ran away once and hid in the castle, he didn't know I was gone for a month! And it took him about two more weeks to find me... Why am I still here anyway...? I know that Botan found me half-dead, but why did she save me? Why me, I'm just a small child...Maybe it has to do with the pendant on my neck..._

"I need you to take extra good care of Hoshi, Kurama... That pendant is more important then she knows..." KoEnma was instructing Kurama on proper care of the fox's new responsibility...

"Ah, yes...The Sapphire Star Pendant...Now that the Jewel of Four Souls is rendered useless thanks to it being purified, the Star pendant has taken its place...And this Hoshi girl is the only one who can wear it without feeling the effects, ne?" Kurama replied informing KoEnma for the umpteenth time that he knew what was at stake...Other than the life of a small child...

"Exactly, but be careful with her...It will be hard to gain her trust, she's gone through too much...Her mom was lost in a fire, started by demons after her pendant. Hoshi was shoved into a small trap door, and came out to find her mom's body...She now has a fear of fire, reason A. why she isn't with Hiei...But give her time, she'll come to like you..." KoEnma sighed and turned to the intercom on his desk, "Botan, bring Hoshi in here at once."

Hoshi looked at the man in front of her, taking in every detail with her golden eyes, "So this is the famed Kurama? Pleasure."

"And you are the young kit I'm to take care of?" Kurama smiled, emerald eyes dancing with amusement, "Pleasure."

Hoshi just looked at him, trying her hardest to have no emotion in her eyes, but failing miserably, "Why do you want to take care of a small, annoying fox child...Is it because there is something special about me?"

Kurama didn't answer for a while; the skepticism of the young child's accusation was... Unexpected, albeit unnerving..."Only because you need some one else who can care for you, not to mention train you in using your powers over plants...I can do both." He finally stated waiting for another skeptical remark.

Hoshi just looked at him; using the laptop KoEnma gave her a year ago, she "looked" into his file in ReiKai..._Can I trust Youko Kurama_ the fox child thought. "How can I trust you? Your criminal record is nearly over a hundred pages long...Typed in small print." She stabled her voice, which sounded like a low soprano compared with his medium tenor...

"I assure you, your father would not have appointed me if I were not trust worthy. You are very valuable after all." Kurama tried his best to seem friendly; his freedom depended on her happiness.

Then Botan burst in, blue hare streaming behind her and lavender eyes glittering with a cross between excitement and happiness, "Hoshi, the other ferry girls and I are throwing a party for you in the main break room! Come on!" Botan then rushed in and picked up the stunned child, leaving a confused Kurama, and KoEnma in the wake of her.

"I'll miss you sooo much!" whined Hinageshi as she hugged Hoshi, leaving the small child with little way to breathe air.

"Let her breathe Geshi-chan!" laughed Ayami. Hinageshi let Hoshi go, gently putting the young fox girl on the floor.

"Thank you for all of this...But if I have any say in this, I'm going nowhere." Hoshi gave a determined look to all of the girls in the room, and then Botan spoke up...

"That's just it Kit-chan...You don't have a say in this...You'll have to go no matter what you want...You need training, Kurama's the only one who can train you. He has a mom in the ningenkai who he can't leave, so he's not staying here. It would be too much of a task to keep a portal up to send you there all the time...You have to stay with him. There is no other way. I'm sorry..." Botan looked away when Hoshi's eyes welled up with tears, the other ferry girls didn't even try to stop the small girl when she ran off to her room...

_This isn't fair! I was just getting used to living in ReiKai, when they send me to live with some thief with a record about a mile long! _Hoshi was sobbing into her pillow, _I won't go! They can't make me...I'll run away first, who cares about how dangerous the Makai is? They'll never find me; I'll be able to live how I want to..._she then began packing her backpack...

Kurama was standing outside, waiting for Hoshi to try to run away, _Maybe we should tell KoEnma we can't take her..._

"_Are you kidding me? This will mean I can destroy, steal, and do what ever I want! And that pacifier loving midget can't do a thing about it! Let the kid stay!"_

_I don't believe you sometimes, using a small child for your advantage, to do what ever your black heart desires. That's really low Youko._

"_And I would care, because?" _

_Forget I said anything... I'll never get it through your half of our head. _

"_That's the spirit!"_

_Wait, here she comes... _Kurama looked at the door and saw Hoshi cautiously trying to sneak out, "Hello Hoshi." Spoke the teenaged red-head while smiling at the young child.

Hoshi was dumbstruck, "How did you-? When did you-? Did Botan tell you I left the party?!" The small fox's eyes were wide open, along with her mouth.

"No. I guessed... Word of advice, never try to sneak away from a thief, the thief will always is better at it."

Hoshi blinked, and then glared her best, "Jerk. I don't need anyone to train me, especially you."

Kurama just chuckled a little, "I know you don't trust other demons well, but I can promise you that I won't hurt you. On my honor..."

Hoshi gave him a blank look, "Do you have honor to promise on?" just a simple child's question. Nothing more, nothing less...But still enough to cause Youko to stop smirking at the thought of being able to run amok again...

Shuiichi looked at the child who silenced his other half, "Yes. Yes I do. As much as it seems like I don't, due to what my records say, I would never harm you...And if you don't believe my promise on my honor...I shall swear on...Kuwabara's honor, and he has an unbreakable code of honor..."

Hoshi looked at Kurama for a moment longer, and then sighed, "I really have no choice... I guess I have to believe you... But I won't hesitate to call back here if I feel threatened." She then ran back to her room and slammed the door.

_That is one confusing child..._

"_I could tell..."_

* * *

Hoshi: BooYaa! I got my first chapter done!!!

Flame: waves little flag Yay.

Kurama: I think I was a little OoC in this chapter...

Youko: So was I!

Hiei: Hn.

Hoshi: That means Read and Review!

Hiei: ...Hn.

Kurama: That means No it doesn't.

Hoshi: Read and Review anyway!


	2. Just try and get along

Hoshi: You like it! You really like it!

Hiei: You got a few reviews and you've been dancing for joy ever since...

Kurama: She's just happy... She never thought people would like it...

Hoshi: dancing for joy

Kurama: Yes, well...Hoshi does not own anything, except Hoshi...

Flame: Same rules apply...

_It's been about ten minutes since we left ReiKai...And he hasn't said one word to me about anything! Where I'll live, if I'll go to school, what to and not to do...Nothing! I wanna go home... Or at least back to ReiKai, I miss Geshi-chan! And Botan-san...I miss them all, WHY IS IT THAT WHEN I GET USED TO SOME PLACE, THEY JUST TAKE ME AWAY! _Hoshi was crying silently as Kurama led her to the park to set up some rules, she didn't know that yet, so fear and dread was welling up inside of her.

"Hoshi-chan, we're here..." Kurama's tenor voice was a little reassuring to the child whose hand he was holding in his own.

"You live in the park?" Hoshi was a little confused now. _Isn't he supposed to be taking me to his house? Botan said he had a nice home..._

Kurama sweatdroped, "No Hoshi, I just need to set up some ground rules before you come to my place..."

"Okay..." she just looked at him, "What do you need to tell me?"

"My mother doesn't know about me being a demon. You can't tell her, nor can you call me Kurama in public, I'm known as Shuiichi here." Hoshi just nodded her head as he explained all of this, "While I am in school, you will be in the care of an old psychic friend of mine, her name is Genkai. There is also a girl there named Yukina, she is a Koorime...But is very kind, I think you'll like her a lot...And we're going to have to do something to hide your ears and tail...I think a dress and a matching hat might work..." Hoshi cringed at the thought of wearing a dress...

"Kura- I mean...Shuiichi, Why do I have to wear a dress?" Hoshi still had a look on her face as if she had just eaten a bad tasting poison.

"To hide your tail of course. I doubt you want people looking at you funny as you walk down the street, most people in Ningenkai don't have tails." Kurama was still trying to make Hoshi feel better... And unclear, to him, it was actually working...

Kurama unlocked the door to his home, "Remember what I told you Hoshi-chan...." He warned.

"Yes Shuiichi-kun..." Hoshi replied, rolling her eyes. He had dyed her hair black to hide it's color, and also had her wearing fake contacts that made her golden eyes brown...After buying her a midnight blue skirt and a teal tee-shirt, along with a small blue newsboy cap that she picked out, he had decided to take her to her new home.

"Mother! I'm home, and I have someone you need to meet..." called Shuiichi once Hoshi and he had entered the door.

"Shuiichi, I'm glad you're okay...Who do you want me to meet?"asked Shori as she walked into the front room from the kitchen, as the woman laid eyes on Hoshi she was slightly shocked and confused, "Who's this pretty young girl?" she asked, looking at Hoshi.

"I'm Hoshi, Ma'am..." Hoshi answered looking to Shuiichi for a clue on what to say next.

"I'm taking care of her for a friend, she's Yuusuke's orphaned cousin and his mom can't take care of her right now...Even though they are the only relatives she has..." Kurama hoped his small lie would suffice. He had been thinking about it the whole time they had been walking to the park. _"That's a stupid lie Shuiichi, no one would believe that. She doesn't even know Yuusuke." Watch and learn Youko. It'll work; I can assure you of that..._

"That's so sweet Shuiichi, I'm glad you're trying to help your friend Yuusuke. She's welcome here as long as she needs a home." Shori smiled and went back to the kitchen.

"That's your mom?" Hoshi asked, slightly confused.

"Yes, that's my mom, one of the few people I really care for..." Kurama answered; "Now why don't I show you to your room?" he smiled at Hoshi and started walking up the stairs, to the guest room.

Hoshi sat on her new bed, in her new room, trying to see if she could get down without hurting herself. The guest bed was just a little too big and, a little to fluffy for Hoshi's taste. Kura- "Shuiichi" had to pick her up and place her on it; she was just too short to reach. _Being three foot, five is no picnic...I hate my height..._ Hoshi was still angry about having to leave her surrogate home in ReiKai, _maybe I could just try to get along...It's not like I'll be going back anytime soon so I might as well make friends._

Kurama was in his room counting seconds, "Three, two, one..." he then heard a small thud sound, "Hoshi! Are you okay?" he called out to the small child in the other room.

"Just fine! I only landed on my head..." she replied with a hint of sarcasm in her petite voice.

"Are you sure, I doubt that you'd still be fine if you landed on your head...Why don't you come in here?" he laughed to himself as he thought about Hoshi's little "trip" to the floor, but calmed down in time to keep from embarrassing the young fox as she walked through the door.

"I don't like that bed. It's too big and fluffy." Hoshi commented with a pout.

"_Hiei said the exact same thing, if you remember Shuiichi; he stayed the night during a thunderstorm, because you wouldn't let him sleep in a tree that night."_

_Thank you for reminding me Youko, but I knew that already. I was the one who looked for him for ten minutes before finding him in the tree in my back yard..._

"_Speaking of Hiei, he's watching us from one of the branches of that same tree that's right out side the window. I think he wants in."_

_I could tell..._"One second Hoshi-chan..." Shuiichi walked over to the window, and began to open it. "Hello Hiei."

Hoshi: And that's where I'll end this!

Hiei: Hn. Now I show up...

Flame: But Hoshi hates fire...And Hiei...This won't end well...

Hiei: Hates fire?

Flame: she has a small fear of it, pyrophobia, if you will...

Hiei: evil smirk Hoshi-chan...

Hoshi: O.O I'd better be going now...runs away

Hiei: chases her but Hoshi, don't you want to meet my dragon?

Hoshi: runs faster NO!

Flame: Oo; Okay then...Read and review!


	3. I don't like fire

Flame: Now you update...

Hoshi: It was a matter of interest. Now I have some interest...

Flame: Meaning you were lazy...

Hoshi Well anything sounds bad when you say it like that!

Flame: If she owned YYH then this wouldn't be a FANfic, and Hoshi would be real...But this is, and she's not.

* * *

Rewind

Shuiichi walked over to the window, and began to open it. "Hello Hiei."

Play

Hoshi watched a man dressed in black with a white bandana on his head come through the window, sure he was small compared to Kurama, but he looked to be at least a foot taller than her. His size wasn't matched by his baritone voice when he spoke, "Hn. What took you so long fox?"

Kurama smiled as he replied, "I had other matters to take care of first, like the child KoEnma told us all about... I'm her new guardian, and I was trying to make her feel at ease while she's in my care."

Hiei just looked at the small child standing near Kurama's bed, "That's the possessor of the pendant? She seems scrawny to me..."

"I assure you Hiei, in due time, she'll grow..." Kurama had to chuckle a little at the face Hoshi made when Hiei remarked about her size, though. Seeing a little girl with an angelic face like hers try to death glare someone like Hiei was quite funny after all...

"I am not scrawny. Nor am I small, gaunt, or any other synonyms you could use to describe being undernourished. I was fed properly and KoEnma was a good foster parent." Hoshi's eyes were doing something Kurama had never seen before, the iris was changing color, and it kept moving about as if the color were a wave of some sort. Her eyes were now blue yet it looked more like water than anything, like tidal waves were forming in her eyes...

"Hn. How can one small child take care of another?" Hiei replied, not really looking for an answer.

"Well...One of he ferry girls, like Botan or Hinageshi, would... But KoEnma did give me a home!"

"Whatever you say child...Kura-Shuiichi, if she has the guest room, where will I sleep?"

Kurama, who had been silent the whole argument, now looked at the diminutive fire demon he called his best friend, "I'm sure we could think of something, you could sleep on the floor."

"Hn." Kurama knew that Hn, it meant "I could care less" so Kurama nodded and went to grab some blankets for Hiei. Leaving Hiei and Hoshi alone.

"Why are you so mean? You seem like the type to attack a defenseless child..." asked Hoshi, not really wanting to hear the answer...

"I won't attack you, I don't need to be in ReiKai prison because of you..." he raised his body temperature to dry himself off; Hoshi felt the sudden warmth in the room...

"You're a fire demon..." Hoshi quickly got on the other side of the room from Hiei.

"What's it to you?" Hiei was beginning to loose his composure, the child was annoying him, and he wanted her to stop.

"N-nothing...No reason at all..." Hoshi gulped, hoping Hiei wouldn't spend the night in her room. She didn't like fire, she didn't want to start to either... She had no clue she was pyrophobic, she didn't even know what it meant... But she was sure to soon find out.

* * *

Hoshi: Another chapter bites the dust!

Flame: To respond to our reviewer questions...

Hoshi: No, Koenma isn't Hoshi's real dad...More on her life story in a later chapter. Kay Tuatha?

Flame: And that's it for the questions...

Hoshi: looks for any other reviews Ouch...She's right...

Flame: Hoshi's new stunt. Review and she'll give you a life size Kurama or Hiei doll...


	4. Childhood Tales

Hoshi: Okay my loyal reviewers…You all get a doll…

Flame: digging around in closet I found a Bierrez doll for Tuatha! hands it to her

Hoshi: Good, now to answer some of the Reviewer questions, no, there will be no romance in this story... The sequel maybe, nevertheless, I am not telling whom it involves…But I will say that it is one-sided… Like a crush.

Flame: gives Maki her doll Mooch.

Hoshi: Flame, you baka, be nicer to the kind and non-flaming reviewers!

Flame: Yeah, yeah…hands Bloom Flower a Kurama doll I must agree with Bloom. Hoshi is now in very good hands…

Kurama: Sorry to disappoint you, but Hoshi and I are not related KaraKurama; she is what I would like to call a water-fox, more on that later this chapter though…

Hiei: May I kill this "Chicken-boy", he has a stupid name, and do not encourage her Yuki.

Flame: Be nice Hiei, people like Yuki and Feda are the reviewers everyone wants to see. Go on Hoshi say it.

Hoshi: I own nothing… Except me…pouts

* * *

Kurama entered his room, "Where are the blankets, Kurama?" asked Hoshi sweetly, "I thought you were going to grab some for Hiei." she had hoped that he had merely forgotten them, but alas, she was wrong.

"I'm sorry Hoshi I forgot to tell you that you and Hiei would share a room tonight. I hope that won't bother either of you." Kurama was unsure of the look that the young kit gave him, but she smiled at him after a while.

"That's fine Kurama, I'm sure Hiei is nice once you get to know him…" _I hope._ she thought, before running off to the room she called hers.

"Hn, I could care less fox," stated Hiei before walking to the former guest room.

Hoshi gulped and followed, "Kurama, why are you doing this? He's dangerous, I don't think this can count as keeping me safe." By the time she made it to her room, Hiei was laying on the floor. "Might as well, I can't be harmed by him." She took a running start and, using Hiei as a springboard, jumped onto her bed.

Hiei growled, "If you weren't such a runt of a fox kit that might have hurt. Good thing for you that it didn't, or I'd have to hurt you back."

Hoshi gulped, "Sorry…" She mumbled before curling up in a ball to sleep, she and Hiei had just become enemies, and Hoshi had no clue about it. The kit yawned before falling fast into her dreams.

"Mommy, why do I have to go into the cellar?" A younger Hoshi stood next to a pure silver vixen, both had tears running down their faces, "I wanna help you fight them off!" Hoshi was clinging to the woman with fear and determination in her eyes.

"I'm sorry sweetie, but you have to stay down there and protect the pendant you're wearing. You must stay there, promise me you will." The vixen set Hoshi on the steps leading into the dark abyss, "Promise me."

Hoshi wiped her eyes, "I will mommy, I will…" both foxes heard a door smash in. Hoshi's mother shoved her into the darkness and shut the heavy metal door. "Mommy…MOMMY!" Hoshi began sobbing, soon the room became nearly unbearably hot. Once the room had cooled Hoshi struggled to move the door, once out of the way, she ran to her mother's body and sat down next to it sobbing…

"Kit? Kit, what's wrong?" Hoshi looked back to see Botan shaking her shoulder.

"W-who are you?" she sobbed, looking back at the person behind her.

"It's me Kit, Kurama…" as she says this, Hoshi's dream fades and the person shaking her shoulder is no longer the ever-happy Botan, but the newest person in Hoshi's life, Kurama.

"What? Why are you here? Nevertheless, my mom was there- And I was-" Hoshi shook her head clear, "Never mind."

"No, I would like to know about this, and I'd like to know now, thank you very much." Kurama looked at Hoshi with disbelief in his emerald eyes, even Hiei had a look on his face that plainly said, "Right…And I take ballet" on his face. "Tell us now Hoshi, what did you dream that was so bad you were sitting up and crying while you were still asleep?"

She looked away from him, silent tears still streaming down her face, she turned her head back to let him see the rivers of salt water running down her face. Then she spoke to him, in a whisper-dusted tone quite different from her normal happy soprano gained from being around Botan too long, "My mommy…" she whimpered under her breath.

"What about your mom, Hoshi-chan? What happened?" Kurama knew he should not press her like this, but it seemed important and if he truly were to care for the child, he would need to know why she seemed so distraught by the dream that must have involved her past.

_"This thing whines too much Shuiichi, make it stop."  
_

_Youko, be nice.  
_  
Hoshi sniffed a little, "Okay." she sighed, emotional battering rams having broken down the wall of protectiveness allowing what she did not want him to see before come into her golden eyes. She was only a little girl, a frightened little girl who did not want the world to know what was within the mind she had. "My dream was a memory, I was only five that day…" Hoshi wove her story around Hiei (A/N: He is still there!) and Kurama as a spider would ensnare her prey. They could feel the emotions she felt, the heat from the fire that burned above her head as she sat in the black hole protecting her, "Then once I was able to get out of the pitch-black hole we called a cellar, I saw my mommy. I ran over to her thinking that she might still look okay, but when I got there, I say her body, better than I wanted to… she was- she looked-"Hoshi broke down there and wrapped her frail arms around Kurama.

"She was not a pile of ashes, was she? She was charred yet still had cooked flesh on her bones. Is that right Kit?" Hiei spoke, the narcotic effect her story had over him, dissipated his words were harsh. Yet, there was a veiled sympathy behind his words as well.

Hoshi nodded, "T-that's it. That's exactly it." Thanks to her, Kurama's pajama shirt was soaked through in one spot, but he did not care. _No child should have to see that, not at her age at least.  
_  
_"Get over it Shuiichi, that is how it works in the realm of the Makai. This child was lucky; there are worse things she could have seen."_

"Would you like to spend the night in my bed for tonight Hoshi-chan? It might calm your nerves." Kurama spoke softly to the child before him, she need all the comforting she could get. However, he did not know that Hoshi always slept in the same bed as someone else or she had nightmares about the worse times in her past.

Hoshi nodded, "Yes, I think that would be helpful…" Hoshi looked down, she did not have to tell him that it would become an every night thing.

"Then why don't we all stay in my room tonight. Hiei, grab your stuff and bring it to my room." Kurama picked Hoshi up and began to walk to his room, "Now Hoshi-chan, you must get some sleep tonight, tomorrow I'm taking you to meet the rest of my friends, okay?"

She nodded and mumbled an "okay" punctuated with yawns, and fell asleep in his arms.

"Good night Kit." He whispered into her ear, "And good dreams…"

* * *

Hoshi: Yay, another chapter has been finished!

Hiei: You made me seem like a weakling.

Kurama: I think she did quite well this time; it is her best chapter yet.

Flame: Too bad, it took so long to put up; shame on you Hoshi, making your reviewers wait like that for this chapter.

Hoshi: Oh well, I did get it done, right? Therefore, that is good!

Hiei: No, that is bad. You should take this story down now, no one cares.

Hoshi: Okay my loyal reviewers show Hiei you care by reviewing!


	5. You're going to leave me here!

Hoshi: We are, figuratively speaking, on a roll! So many chapters done…

Flame: …And so many to do…

Hiei: It is only the fifth chapter…

Kurama: But she never thought she would get this far either.

Hoshi: Exactly, so I must celebrate my fifth chapter by waving around fanfare music the little black flag of happiness!

Kurama: …There is nothing there.

Hoshi: It is the invisible little black flag of happiness.

Flame: What ever you say Hoshi, nudges Kurama right?

Kurama: Riiight, what ever you say Hoshi.

Hiei: Hn, I am glad that that baka girl does not own Yu-Yu-Hakusho.

* * *

Hoshi woke up to a new feeling, she was warm and something was stopping her from moving away from the spot in which she lay. A quick look around the room told her that she was not in her bed, but in the room of someone else; a guess told her that person was the one holding her. Then, like a storm of the past, she felt smacked in the face by the memory of everything. She had told. Even worse, she had told her entire past to a man she had barely met a day ago. She did not even know his past and because of a bad dream, she had given up everything about herself. _What was I thinking! I do not even know the man and what if he is the reason my mother is dead!_ Hoshi looked around herself the best she could, noticing a stray lock of crimson hair in her view. Wait… She thought in silence, why is he sleeping with me?

Kurama slowly awoke to the small child's squirming, "Good morning Hoshi-chan, I trust you had a nice sleep?" he released the young girl from his hold, seeing the waves of confusion and self-anger wash over her face just to be covered by a mask of innocence and kindness.

"Why yes Kura- Shuiichi. I have just had the best sleep since- Never mind." Hoshi mentally beat herself up for that one, "_No no NO! How could I do that? Just blab everything, why not; I have nothing better to do"!_ However, her face still had a smile. A "Count D" smile that seemed so real, yet forced at the same time. Moreover, it was not fooling anyone.

"Hoshi," Kurama's voice took on a sterner tone, "I know your past seems like your greatest weakness, and you feel hiding it from the world is the safest thing to do for yourself. But someone else in this world cares for you, and I need to know that you trust me to care for you as well." Kurama's eyes showed kindness to the young girl that he had only shown to his mother, Youko on the other hand…  
_"By the Gods, Shuiichi; this child does not need that much sympathy. She needs to grow up and learn that is how things are in the Makai. If her mom were supposed to live with the child, she would be taking care of the little brat instead of you. That kid has to face facts; mommy isn't here."_  
Shuiichi just sighed, "Hoshi, please. Just try and care, you do not have to take care of yourself anymore… That's why I'm here." Then a great idea struck the redhead and tap danced in his head until he paid attention to it, when he did he told his charge, "I know, I'll take you to see Master Genkai and Yukina; they would love to see you. Master Genkai could train you to be strong enough to take care of yourself, and Yukina… She'd just love to meet you." Hoshi felt taken aback, but before the child could protest he continued, "Go get dressed Kit, I'll take you there now." He set her on the ground, and smiled at her as the walked through the door.

Hoshi went to her own room, getting dressed quickly she noticed that Hiei was not present, "I'll bet he wanted to get away from me…" She mumbled, putting her favorite hat on her head and over her ears. The delicate hearing organs swiveled and twisted to get cozy under the newsboy cap placed on top of them; the kit giggled from how sensitive they were, the slightest touch from the ears to the cap sending small waves of happiness throughout her body. Soon, all the stress from before was gone. "Thank you ears," she murmured, before leaving the safety of her room and new home to see the world which she had not seen before, the Ningenkai.

Kurama sweat dropped at the sight of Hoshi as they were walking, the kit seemed fascinated by everything around her. Hoshi was walking along the sidewalk, but it seemed like the young girl could not stay quiet for more than ten seconds. Every moment that passed by had a "What is that?" or a "wow, can we go look at this?" to it; and as much as it made Kurama laugh, he thought that sometime she'll have to learn stop talking.

"Kit-chan," Kurama spoke to the child once the city was far behind them, she had stopped speaking period, "What's wrong Hoshi?" he looked back at the child, she seemed scared.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked him, a small hint of distrust in her voice.

"Did I not tell you before?" he asked her, seeing her shake her head the red head laughed, "Master Genkai lives on top of this hill, which means we have quite a bit of forest to trek through. I'm sorry for not mentioning this before…" Hoshi nodded as if she understood, and kept walking by his side. They soon reached a staircase, embedded within the forest and other wildlife that seemed to burst around them. Kurama just started up the steps, Hoshi trying to see the top from where she stood; alas, it seemed impossible. "Are you coming Kit-chan?" he asked, looking back at the girl. She just nodded and followed.

"These stairs go on forever…" Hoshi grumbled, as she climbed to the fiftieth step.

"Don't worry Hoshi-chan, we're halfway there." Kurama assured the child, wondering if she would wear out from the climb.  
_"This kid is weak Shuiichi, why did we take her in again?"  
The destruction of the world, stealing rare and priceless items, KoEnma not stopping you from doing anything your black heart desires.  
"The poor kid, maybe you should help her up the last twenty-five steps…"  
_Kurama just sighed at how quickly his demonic-half changed tunes. He looked back on the young girl; apparently, she had stopped to rest about fifteen steps ago. "Hoshi are you okay?" he asked her, walking to her side.

"I'm fine! I'm just resting…" Kurama smiled at her, as he picked her up, "Hey! Put me down!" and many other shrill squeaks were her wall of protests against this motion of kindness, Kurama just simply ignored her and kept walking up. He soon reached the top, even with the sixty pounds of struggling weight in his arms. He just set her on the ground, and walked to the temple.

"Master Genkai!" he called. Hoshi watched, amazed as an old woman with wavy pink-white hair came out.

"This is the child KoEnma wants me to teach," her voice was creaky, but it was more the rooted with confidence, "now I'll have to teach two little kids…" Kurama snickered, knowing the other child of which she spoke.

"Are you insulting me again Grandma?" came a voice from the back, a young teen with gelled back hair and a cocky grin on his face came from inside the temple. "old hag, the kid will get the wrong idea about me."

"What are you doing out here, Slacker? I thought I told you to climb the mountain." It was more a demand then a question that left Genkai's lips.

"Sheesh, I'm going already, old hag." He turned and left, leaving Hoshi to stare at the disgruntled teen.

"Kurama…" she mumbled, tugging on his pants, "You're going to leave me here?" Kurama face-faulted, Genkai gave the kid a half smile, both just looking at the young girl before them in disbelief.

* * *

Hoshi: Yahoo, I got another one done! speaking really fast

Hiei: What happened to her this time?

Flame: She had one of her wisdom teeth pulled; the laughing gas still has not worn off.

Kurama: But it has been a day already…

Flame: Try telling that to the mistress of "I get high from pixi-stix"

Hiei: Hn, just read and review…

Hoshi: Who said pixi-stix!


	6. I'm not a school yard girl

Flame: Sixth chapter, coming live to a fanfic near you!

Kurama: …Flame, where is Hoshi?

Flame: I'm not sure, come to think of it; where's Hiei?

Yuusuke: I saw Hoshi with Hiei after the last chapter, and Hiei looked upset…

Kurama and Flame: Oh no… run off to find Hoshi and Hiei

Yuusuke: …Hoshi owns nothing but her bad story and the younger version of herself to match…

* * *

Kurama smiled at Hoshi, then looked back to Genkai, "I trust KoEnma has warned you about her?" he asked, wondering if the old woman would be up to teaching both Yuusuke and the young child.

"You needn't worry, I'll be able to handle teaching her the basics, and trying to teach Yuusuke anything at all." She replied, saying the last part louder then the rest; only so her teenaged pupil could hear it.

Kurama chuckled as he heard the sound of smashing rock from behind the temple; he knew Yuusuke had heard the elder master of the spirit wave. "Fine then; Hoshi-chan, I trust you will not give Master Genkai any problems, right?"

"Yes, Kurama, I'll be good." the kit answered back, almost mockingly.

He just laughed, "I'll be back to pick her up around five this afternoon, and try to tell Yuusuke that she's fragile. I think having her die during training would negate the point of Botan rescuing her at all."

Genkai nodded and Hoshi watched Kurama walk down the stairs, "Now then," she turned to Hoshi, "don't think you're going to get special treatment just because you're young. Demons after your blood and pendant won't give you special treatment, and neither will I." she waited until Hoshi nodded, then began speaking again, "First off, I will teach you how to manifest and control your powers. Now stand over there and we'll begin."

Hoshi walked to the designated area and her training began. When Kurama came back, he found Hoshi lying in a near-passed-out state. The kit's eyes were shut, upon further examination he found her to be sleeping. "Hoshi, Hoshi-chan… Wake up, I'm back…" he looked the girl over once more, and then picked her up. As he straightened his body, he saw Genkai watching him.

"She's fine, but we ran into trouble on her first day. If she's not using too much energy she's using too little. On her first try she couldn't even bend a blade of grass or a drop of water to her will. The next try she almost flooded us all, and Yuusuke is still cutting the grass in the meadow with his spirit gun bullets."

Kurama nodded, understanding that Hoshi's first day might have gone like that. "I'm guessing she's still trying to find that happy medium for her powers?"

"She got close, then the energy loss got to her, if you bring her back two days from now she'll be fine. In fact, I think she should come for lessons every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday."

Once again, Kurama nodded, "How does from three to five sound? She'll still have school to deal with." Genkai nodded and the pact was made.

Weeks of training had taken place, Hoshi still had problems using her powers, but now she knew how much to use. Plants moved to her will, but unlike Kurama's rose, Hoshi couldn't find a weapon nor make one of her own yet. The water was easier; she could draw the life-giving liquid from any source within twelve feet of her. But anything further that wasn't within twelve feet and the poor child was in major trouble. Not only that, but she couldn't draw the moisture out of the air, or from the ground.

School was another matter entirely.

Apparently being the computer-obsessed child KoEnma allowed her to be, via the laptop he gave her, she was smarted than many in her class. But her first day was filled with problems. It began with Kurama walking her to school…

"Kurama, are you sure I won't get teased?" they both had been informed that Hoshi wouldn't be allowed wear the hat she had grown so fond of. Her ears were now public, and open for the class to see.

"You'll be fine Hoshi-chan, just explain that they are real to your classmates and warn them not to pull on them. But no threats, do you understand? I don't want anyone else to know of your powers." Kurama smiled when his ward nodded, and took her to the door of her new school, "Remember, go straight to Genkai's after school tomorrow, Friday, and next Monday. Any other day, like today, go home; got it?"

Hoshi smiled at him; "Got it!" she grinned, and walked into the building, following the crowd of human children in her age group. But getting to her class proved to be the worse idea she'd ever think Kurama had…

"Class, attention please." Mrs. Noburu was Hoshi's teacher, and was a kind youthful woman, in truth this was her second year teaching. "Class, we have a new student. Ms. Minamino, would you please come to the front of the class?" She watched in shock as the young girl walked up, black dyed hair (with silvery-blue roots showing) greatly contrasted the fuzzy fox ears atop her head. "Ms. Minamino, would you like to tell the class something about yourself?"

Hoshi took a deep breath. "My name is Hoshi Minamino; I like computers, reading, swimming, and gardening. And about my ears, please don't touch them, they are real and they feel pain… And they're really ticklish." Hoshi gave a small bow to the class and took her seat again, but as luck would have it, her seat was in front of the class bully. The only saving grace might have been that she was also next to the window, and a potted plant.

If given a choice, that plant might be the only friend she'll make this school year. Her ears flattened against her head as she heard the whispers of "freak" and many more insults bombard them, she was an outcast before she had spent ten minutes in class. The boy behind her, a burly child by the name of Kenichi, was the first to notice something the others didn't; the new girl had a tail…

Now, to most teachers having a child with animal-like ears is bad enough, but when they have a tail and are sitting in front of the cruelest student in your class, well, things are about to get hectic. And they did, right after Kenichi reached down and pulled Hoshi's wagging tail, causing Hoshi to jump with a start and howl. Needless to say, this shocked Mrs. Noburu. "Hoshi, what has gotten into you!" she glared at the child, who was now clutching her tail for the class to see.

"He-he pulled my tail!" Hoshi let out a small whimper, petting the offended appendage. Kenichi was laughing, and as luck would have it, the class joined in. All Mrs. Noburu could do was to settle down the class, telling Kenichi to go to the office after apologizing to the new girl.

Unfortunately, recess is a whole new ordeal and there was new blood on the playground today. Hoshi spent most of it against the wall, making sure that her tail couldn't be pulled. But then the worse thing happened, Kenichi and his "group" surrounded Hoshi where she stood.

After school, Kurama asked Hoshi how her first day was. All he saw was Hoshi stomping to her room with a black eye, "GUESS!" she called back angrily.

"I'm guessing not so well…" Kurama murmured under his breath, as he heard the door to the kit's room slam shut. Later he took an ice pack to her, with thoughts set on helping the kit sooth her wound; he found her crying on the bed. "Don't worry Hoshi-chan, things will get better." he soothed, smiling at the child he now was to care for.

"I hope it happens soon, Shuiichi, I hope it happens soon.

* * *

Hoshi: Hiei… This isn't funny… LET ME GO! tied to a chair

Hiei: dark chuckle Deal with it. burning her reviews There aren't many of these are there? Oh well, read and review so I have more things to burn.


	7. I didn't want him hurt

Hiei: Apparently you all like this kid's crappy story… Hm… Wait, I thought I burned all of these…

Hoshi: Ha! You only burned the reviews I've already responded to. Now then, where to start… Thank you, The Demon Sisters; I was created to be a younger version of my authoress. And thank you, Natsumi-chan, I only wish I had more reviews…

Hiei: It's because your story is worthless. And I think she's getting what she deserves instead of being pampered like she is by Kurama, bookworm.

Hoshi: Meanie; I'm glad I amuse you, Red Kitsune Flames. And I'll work on that plan Jojo, thankies!

Hiei: Hn, just get on with the story, this should be good…

* * *

It was winter and school had not gotten better for Hoshi; as well as she did with the classes, the students were just plain awful to her. Kenichi was not the only one tormenting her now, the whole class joined in. A snowball in her ears at recess were not the worst she had put up with, but if you add in the rocks and other things that normally came with it… We'll just say that Hoshi found it easier to spend her recesses curled into a ball under a bush by the stairs.

And yet, Kurama and Genkai noticed that she would come from school bruised. Today it was Genkai's turn to see her. "You've got to stand up for yourself, child. Things won't get better unless they know not to mess with you." Hoshi nodded weakly, eyes overflowing with tears but the sobbing had already stopped. Yukina passed her hand over Hoshi's cheek, healing the cut she had received from a shard of broken glass in a snowball. Said snowball was Kenichi's idea of playing nicely with the new girl.

"Beat up again, kiddo?" Then Yuusuke walked, frowning at the kit sitting there. "Jeeze, did you ever think that you could fight fire with fire?" Hoshi winced and then Yuusuke realized his mistake, "Sorry, I mean have you ever thought you could just fight back? Ya'know? Rough 'em up a bit, show them you're not weak." Hoshi nodded, smiling at Yuusuke.

"I'll try that!" Hoshi grinned and Genkai stood up and knocked them both in the head.

"No. You can't fall to their level like this dimwit did. You have to be smarter then that…" Genkai began lecturing the kit, but Hoshi's mind was still on Yuusuke's plan…

The next day at school, Hoshi told the plant next to her what she wanted to do. For that plant was the only live thing in the room that cared about her. And because of how nice Hoshi had been to the plant; giving it her spare energy, talking to it when no one noticed; the plant decided to help Hoshi as well.

Kenichi walked into class soon after Hoshi finished talking to her only friend, he sat down, ready to torment the kit, and little did he know what would happen. Hoshi steadily fed her energy to that plant for the whole first hour of class, by second hour it had grown out of the pot, flowers in full bloom. This is when the teacher noticed it, as well as the rest of the class. "H-Hoshi, look next to you!" one of the girls in class called out.

"I know." Hoshi replied back calmly, working on the packet the teacher had passed out a while ago. The whole class just stared as the plant grew larger, then one of its leaves grabbed for Kenichi, picking the poor boy up. Another leaf, razor sharp, was held up to his neck… By this time most of the kids, and the teacher, had fled from the room.

"You stupid plant, put me down right now!" Kenichi struggled against the tendrils of the giant plant.

"Do you like my friend, Kenichi?" Hoshi asked, now sitting at a desk a little ways a way.

"Friend, this thing is your friend?" Kenichi was in a state of shock, he didn't know how the young animal-like girl in front of him could control this thing.

"Yes, it's my friend. This plant is the only thing that talks to me and keeps me company in class. In other words, this is the only thing that isn't mean to me in this whole school." Hoshi glared at Kenichi, tsunamis raging in her once gold eyes. "Give me one good reason not to have this plant slit your throat."

Kenichi's eyes were wide by now, to him, Hoshi was just a scared little kid he could dominate. Now she had turned against him, and to be honest, Hoshi liked the fearful look in his eyes. "I-I'll do anything!" he screamed, and for some odd reason, Hoshi liked the fear in his voice.

"Heh, anything," Hoshi smirked, "like what?" An evil glint shone in her tsunami-dominated eyes, making her look more frightening, to Kenichi, by the second. The plant Hoshi had befriended held its captive tightly, making sure that the sharper leaf stayed close to the boy's neck.

Kenichi himself had his attention caught by both the plant, and the girl he had been tormenting. "I-I-I dunno… But I swear I'll think of something!" The plant swung the boy next to the window, "I swear! I swear I'll think of something Hoshi, honest!" Kenichi looked out the window for a brief moment, they were on the third floor and if he were to fall…

But unfortunately, the plant Hoshi had been feeding her energy toward happened to still be growing… And still on that windowsill. One massive leaf swung to try to look more alive and alarming, but ended up breaking that window, allowing the bitter winter air into the room.

"NO!" Hoshi's eyes widened, her friend couldn't stand the cold, and it would die were it exposed too long. The plant itself dropped Kenichi, who grabbed at it and caused them both to fall out the window. Hoshi's training had allowed her new skills; one was keeping plants alive in conditions that were too much for them. She pulled her energy from it immediately, causing it to shrink, and then she set her task on keeping it alive in the frozen water crystals below. Kenichi, on the other hand, fell fast and was near the ground before Hoshi saw him. "No…" the kit whispered, "I don't want him dead…" She looked at the tree by the window, calling out to it secretly, "Please, there's a boy falling from the window, can you reach down and stop or slow his fall?"

The tree responded, moving its branch just enough to catch Kenichi by the back of his shirt. It held him, but the branch soon broke, and Kenichi tumbled to the ground from a safer height. Hoshi watched from the window as the teacher, who had alerted the principal, run to the fallen boy. The principal himself evacuated the school. She stood there, looking down, for her plant friend, until she saw it, under the teacher's foot.

The energy transfer hadn't been going through since Kenichi hit the ground, now she knew why. Small sobs wracked her body, her own tears clinging to her cheeks. "No…" Then the Principal noticed her, she watched him through tear clouded eyes as he started to go back inside, warning the other children to stay out. This action caused fear to take Hoshi's brain. The kit was afraid of trouble, afraid of being kicked from the school. The door behind her opened, the principal standing behind her, and Hoshi made a last second move. She leaped from the window, into the tree that saved Kenichi. From there she jumped to the snow covered ground, and began to run. The young fox ran home as fast as her small body would allow her to.

Soon she reached home, to find Shuiichi sitting on the couch, watching her antics on the news. "Hoshi," He began in a stern warning tone, "what have I told you about using your powers for good, and not evil?"

She gulped, "Umm, Don't attack people?" she flinched as a father's hard glare was directed at her.

"And you deliberately disobeyed me, didn't you. I had expected more out of you, but instead you use your powers to scare your schoolmates, shove one classmate out the window, and break the window while you're at it." His look didn't soften, even though the child was shivering from the cold and panting from the run, his glare didn't waver.

"I-I… But he… I…" Hoshi began sobbing, "But he was throwing snowballs and rocks in my ears! I had to make him stop and scarring his was the best way…" she collapsed to the ground in a fit of tears. But Kurama just gave an exasperated sigh.

"Go to your room, we'll talk about this later."

Hoshi nodded and stood up, walking the slow death march of a doomed prisoner. As she made it to her room a small voice spoke up in the back of her mind, _"Jeeze, what a grouch. You were in the right kiddo." _Hoshi looked around for the, seemingly male, voice she had heard, _"Looking for me? Hold up your pendant." _Hoshi did as she was told, holding it up where she could see it. The blue star glowed dimly, _"Name's Azul, nice to meet you. Even though I've known all the women in your family for over thirty generations…" _Hoshi blinked, coming to a realization.

There was a soul, trapped in her pendant.

* * *

Hoshi: And, that's the end of that!

Ember: You're just going to leave them hanging like that!

Azul: Why does my name end with "L" if we're in Japan?

Hoshi: Because, silly. You came from the demon world. That is your name loosely translated… Translate it again (Spanish) and it means "Blue"!

Hiei: Right… Review or die. has a water gun to his head


End file.
